"Operation Bad Medicine" dropped the ball this weekend!

Senior Member

I was my new spot on the hunting club Saturday evening when about 30 minutes before dark, 3 does entered my food plot. I didn't go out to shoot, but more to watch. I had made up my mind that in those conditions, wind and rain, I wasn't going to shoot unless it was a big buck, or a suicidal doe.

When I saw the does enter the far end of my food plot, I put the 25-06 scope on them and watched. They fed closer and closer and at 20 yards, I decided to let the handgun talk to the biggest one (looking for a mature doe, Chad ).

So, I got rock steady, and put the crosshairs of the 629 on the base of her neck where it joined her shoulders, and squeezed off a round. She hit the ground like a ton of bricks! She kicked around for about 15 seconds and then laid still.. head down. While she was kicking, I started to put one more into it for assurance, but thinking "neck shot... she ain't going no where" I waited. When she laid her head down... I thought "OK... game over" and proceeded to take my ear plugs out and put my gun back in it's case.. I looked up just in time to see her jump up and take off running.

"OH NO!!!"

I got down out of the box blind and went to look for her... No blood, no hair, no meat or bone... NOTHING! But where she'd kicked around.

We looked for over 2 hours and even got my trailing dog on her and couldn't find her.

We went back Sunday morning after the hunt and looked for another 3 hours... Still nothing!

The only thing I can figure is that my gun is dead on at 100 yards. At 20, I'm thinking I was a bit high, so shooting a neck shot, I just hit a tad high, missed the spine, but got enough meat to shock the spine... which is why she fell like she did. After regaining her senses, she got up and ran off.

I'm pretty sure she'll make it, but hate that I lost one. Under normal circumstances, I would have held "heart/lung" and put one in there, but with it drizzling rain, I wanted her to drop immediately ... and she did... But it wasn't enough I guess.

Oh well, maybe next time, but I'm sick knowing I wounded one and couldn't find it. It's been nearly 15 years since I lost an animal and I just hope she makes it, which I think she will. We looked everywhere, and couldn't find a sign of her being hurt. So I'm hopeful I didn't mortally wound her...

Steelringin' Mod

But in the words of our esteemed President (cough, cough, choke) this is a "teachable moment".

If you want to anchor them without a chance of messing it up, shoot high shoulder. If you are a little high, you still get spine. A little low still breaks both shoulders, a little back puts it in the boiler room, and a little front hits neck.

Senior Member

But in the words of our esteemed President (cough, cough, choke) this is a "teachable moment".

If you want to anchor them without a chance of messing it up, shoot high shoulder. If you are a little high, you still get spine. A little low still breaks both shoulders, a little back puts it in the boiler room, and a little front hits neck.